Peppermint Kisses
by Azygous
Summary: Mello and Near try to figure out their feelings for each other... Sorry, I would like to add much more, but the plot as a whole is still being worked out! : Possible smut in the future, depends on where I'd like this to go...


**Woo hoo! So, I got the random urge to write this and ended up staying up until half 2... and I havent even finished it! :o I wanted a good look into the psyche of both Mello and Near, since I'm in love with these guys at the moment, so I wanted to try to delve into their though patterns and make it as IC as possible and to get some yaoi tyyyyyme in there which flows in perfectly. I shall try to add more to this... (damn, I totally forgot about my previous Fanfiction, im neglecting my priorities! Sorry guys! :[ )**

Near ripped off the cellophane wrapping, that covered the neat plain box that sat at his feet. Lifting off the lid, inside, was a jig-saw, however this one was entirely blank and colour-less, apart from the black letter "L" in the corner.

This one was specially made, of course, Near recalled the curiosity in the voices of those who asked him why he would ever want such a strange and bland thing.

Why..? Near twirled his hair for a moment, then tipped over the box, to begin putting together the puzzle.

Well...

He liked toys of course, not that he actually had any fun at all playing with them, just that they occupied him, he found it was easier to concentrate on his thoughts while he was immersed in creating some great intricate structure out of objects one wouldn't normally use.

However...

He wanted that constant reminder, "L", that one letter that would be flung at him almost every single day, constant reminders that he was one of his chosen successors...

He hated it, it was probably the only thing he had ever hated in his life. He hated being L's successor, he hated L.

However he never complained about this, he didn't feel the need to, he was supposed to be one of L's successors, that was the only thing he could actually achieve in here... Wammy's House...

There would be no "Near" no recognition of him, he would only be known as L's successor, constantly living under the shadow of L, no matter what he did, what he could do, he would always be compared and matched to him.

He had no complex towards this title though, 'hate' in Near was about as intense to you and me as gently biting your finger. He always thought that emotions got in the way, yet, he wouldn't refrain from showing any if he ever did get a rare bubble of emotion, which was often showing slight sadistic amusement at others.

His hands never paused for a second as he put together the various pieces of jig-saw, in fact, he was barely concentrating on the jig-saw, his mind was busy analysing and sifting through the "why's" and "how's" of his situation. This almost meditating state, however, was suddenly broken, as a ball flew through the open window of his room, hit the wall, and slammed onto Near's half-finished jig-saw, breaking apart every single piece.

The ball rolled towards Near's lap, he lifted it up, and awaited for the arrival of the person whose footsteps were growing ever closer to his door.

"Near!"

A young blonde haired boy slammed open the door, he surveyed the room for second, to check if nothing was broken (Mello had a habit of getting in trouble for breaking Near's things), and strolled straight up to Near, yanked the ball out of his hands, and threw it outside to the boys in the garden.

"It would've been more polite to _ask_ for the ball back you know Mello..."

His tone was slightly satrical, normally he wouldn't try to provoke Mello, however he was feeling rather bored at the moment and quite truthfully, he wanted to make some kind of conversation with him.

"Why should I have to ask you for it back?" Mello sneered, "Its our ball, so if you kept it, it would've been stealing"

"Yes... I suppose"

Near suspected that Mello would probably leave now that he had made such a bland and unresponsive answer, however the blonde just stood there and peered at the broken puzzle on the floor.

"What the hell is this..."

Near looked up, and saw that Mello had begun to slightly shake, he was staring at the puzzle as if it were a terrible terrible object.

"Do you like it Near?"

"Hm?"

He turned his gaze and glared at Near.

"I SAID DO YOU LIKE IT? DO YOU LIKE LOOKING AT THAT LETTER AND FEELING OH-SO PROUD OF YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE NUMBER ONE! THAT YOU'RE THE BEST POSSIBLE CANDIDATE TO BE L'S SUCCESSOR!"

Mello stood there and shook, glaring with strong venom at the white haired boy. Near, merely stared back into those hate-filled eyes.

"Not especially Mello..."

That monotone voice of his made Mello snap, he knelt down slightly and grabbed tightly onto Near's pyjama top; Mello could smell the fresh peppermint tang that seemed to embody Near, he stared into those cold, emotionless eyes... soon loosing the reason why he had done this.

His anger subsided pretty quickly, Mello knew he was unable to physically hurt Near, that was something he would'nt do. However he guessed in those random bursts of anger, he would be capable of doing damage to him if he could keep that fire going for more than a second.

Mello didn't want to be this, to be so jealous and frustrated by someone who was simply better than him. Yet he had grown up with living in Near's shadow his entire life, it haunted him, like a poltergeist that couldn't be exorcised.

"Mello... please don't let your inferiority complex control you, obsessive disorders like that can lead to madness."

He snapped back to reality, staring at the frail albino he had in his hands, he was awfully close to Near's face, he felt uncomfortable, yet Near made no such inclination that his personal bubble was being penetrated, he doubted it really mattered to him.

"Near..."

He said his name with a slight questioning tone, he should probably move away, this was a pretty odd thing to do, yet he felt so intoxicated by the boy. All his jealousy, his anger, it made him feel so fascinated with him at that moment, an unnameable emotion of something akin to hatred and excitement rose up in his chest...

"If I punched him... what would be his reaction...? He probably wouldn't react much at all.

If I kissed him, touched him, what would be his reaction...?"

The thought slightly amused him, yet at the same time filled him with disgust. He physically spat on the floor, removed his firm grip on Near's clothes, and walked out of the room without saying a word.

Near said nothing too, he just stared as Mello stormed out of his room, continuing to stare at the door for a few more seconds after he had left.

"Mello..."

He gave a bored sigh, and began to start once again on his jig-saw puzzle.


End file.
